Snowblind BJJ

Niamh, the instructor, is really good at explaining not just the “how” but the “why” of every move. I am completely new to jiu jitsu and I took the 1-month First Steps course. It was exactly what I was looking for, very beginner friendly.

Traveling from San Diego I always bring my gi and rashguard just in case because you never know when you have a little bit of time to meet people who love the same hobby as you but somewhere new. I had the fortunate chance to drop in on a class here with Niamh last week and their instruction and the overall vibe of the class and community at Snowblind is extremely welcoming and friendly to all levels from beginner to whatever blue belt at 2 years makes me. I had a great time meeting everyone at this gym and it was a very cozy little spot to spend a couple hours while I was in Seattle visiting friends.

Snowblind BJJ has been a great experience. I was pretty hesitant to try a martial art, but the First Steps on-ramp program made it feel much more approachable. Training with a group of all beginners for the first month really helped take away the intimidation. The instructors are friendly and supportive, and the overall community is welcoming and easygoing. It’s a great place to start if you’re new to BJJ.

Snowblind and Niamh, the instructor, are both great. Would highly recommend coming here. 1) The space and culture feel very safe and inclusive. This is very actively cultivated, and I can tell it's a priority for Niamh that people feel safe and comfortable, rather than a standard anti-discrimination line. As a visibly trans person I feel comfortable and supported, and I would highly recommend it for other queer people specifically. 2) It was also accessible to start as an absolute beginner at BJJ. Niamh instructs clearly and responds helpfully to questions, and then she or higher belts help you out when you're trying it out. There's a very good balance and pattern in a class, with instruction, then hands on practice, then incrementing what we started, practicing that, and so on. The overall teaching strategy emphasizes teaching the mechanics of things and why they work, rather than the steps. This teaching framework is helping me place new moves in a context to understand them better, but also if I do forget the specifics of a move, I have a better idea of how to reconstruct it. 3) BJJ is fun! The people here are great!

I've been training BJJ since 2010, been to many different gyms and by far, Niamh is one of the most technical, conceptual, and inspirational instructors I've had the honor - and fun! - to train with. Whether you're new to the sport, new to the area, back from an injury or time away, you'll find yourself warmly welcomed and accepted as you are. Try it out, you'll see what I mean!